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Concrete is the second most used material in the world, only exceeded by water. It is also one of our oldest construction materials starting thousands of years ago. It continues to evolve and allows us to make the tallest buildings, bridges, and roadways.

So how did our ancestors find out that if we heated rocks, we could make cement and then make concrete? How did we discover the multi-step process of making our modern concrete?

This presentation will take us through the journey of how cement and concrete developed. Along this journey, we will see how the discovery of fire, bricks, pottery, pyramids, and lighthouses played a major role in the development of concrete.

Presenter: Luke M. Snell, P.E., FACI, Honorary Member -ACI Concrete Consultant

Cracking is a natural, expected, and accepted behavior of concrete. However, cracks may affect the appearance, function, durability, service life, or more seriously, the structural integrity of the concrete. For these reasons, designers, concrete producers, and contractors are always trying to control or minimize the amount and severity of concrete cracking. This presentation will cover the fundamental causes of cracking, crack investigations, and recommendations for troubleshooting concrete cracks.

Presenter: Kim Basham, PhD, P.E., FACI, Senior Structural Engineer, KB Engineering, LLC

The presentation will provide background on safe rooms and storm shelters as well as their performance objective, current design references, and where they are required in the IBC and IEBC. We will explore how design and construction criteria for safe rooms and storm shelters result in resilience to tornadoes and hurricanes and provide enhanced sustainability for communities. Precast and cast in place examples will be shared.

Presenters: Pataya Scott, PhD (FEMA) and Glenn Overcash, PE (AECOM / FEMA Contractor)